Sturgeon accused of using Ukraine war as ‘tasteless’ case for Scottish independence
Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland to send medical supplies to Ukraine
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In the month following Russia’s invasion of its neighbouring country, the West has appeared to make a determined effort to stand as a united front against Vladimir Putin. So much so that, in geopolitical forecaster George Friedman’s words, the invasion “has brought the United States and Europe closer than before”. But, after describing Russia’s invasion as “shattering peace in Europe”, Ms Sturgeon pointed to her increased desire for Scotland to split from the UK.
In what appears a hint of the need for Scottish independence, Ms Sturgeon wrote in the New Statesman this week: “Putin’s war has… cast new light on the realities of Brexit and the particular challenges posed to Scotland and the rest of the UK by being taken out of the world’s biggest single market.
“Indeed, the events of recent weeks have underlined the importance of independent countries cooperating in supranational organisations such as the EU.”
She added the invasion had “underscored the need for democratic nations to purse out domestic politics with as much passion and vigour as ever”, likely referring not to the UK as it currently stands but with Scotland on the outside of it.
The SNP leader told Holyrood last September she would be restarting work on a second independence campaign “when the Covid crisis has passed”.
The crisis in Ukraine does not appear to have led to further pause in Ms Sturgeon’s plans to hold another referendum by the end of 2023.
Instead, the First Minister has been accused of making a “tasteless” connection between the Russia-Ukraine war and the SNP’s desire for Scottish independence.
Donald Cameron, the Scottish Tories’ Shadow Constitution Secretary, argued this suggested no issue was “beyond Nicola Sturgeon” regarding pushing for a second referendum.
Quoted in The Telegraph, he said: “It is unacceptable and tasteless for the First Minister to make any sort of link between the war in Ukraine and Scottish independence.
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“It appears there is no issue that is beyond Nicola Sturgeon when it comes to pushing her endless obsession with breaking up the United Kingdom.”
In her article, Ms Sturgeon added an independent Scotland would be a “reliable and dedicated international partner”.
Foreign policy analyst and former aide to Margaret Thatcher Nile Gardiner said this was “laughable”.
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He wrote in a post on Twitter: “Scotland outside of the UK and NATO would just be target fodder for Putin’s Russia.”
Ms Sturgeon’s official spokesman told the Telegraph: “The First Minister made no such link [between the Ukraine war and Scottish independence] whatsoever – any suggestion she has is a flat-out lie.”
This comes after Boris Johnson described the “instinct of the people of this country, like the people of Ukraine, to choose freedom”, citing Brexit as a “famous recent example”.
He later stressed he had not suggested the Brexit campaign and vote itself was not comparable to the invasion of Ukraine, noting “that was widely misconstructed”.
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